


Bloom

by gracerene



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Community: firewhiskeyfic, Cross-Generation Relationship, F/F, Flowers, Harry Potter Next Generation, Herbology, I Was Drunk When I Wrote This, Potions, Professor Lily Luna Potter, Professor Padma Patil, Professors, Roses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-19 06:19:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8193451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracerene/pseuds/gracerene
Summary: Lily wants the Moonbeam Rose. She also wants Padma. With any luck, she can get both.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for the [firewhiskeyfic](http://firewhiskeyfic.livejournal.com/) drunk!fic challenge on livejournal. I used the prompts Lily Luna Potter, Halloween, Autumn Colours, & Forbidden Forest. You can find my original and entirely illegible entry [here](). 
> 
> This is the cleaned up version, with ~~no~~ minimal typos and a few additional sentences for transitions and whatnot. Drunk!ficcing is entirely too much fun, and I highly recommend. :D 
> 
> This is entirely unbeta'd.

Lily hurried towards the edge of the Forbidden forest, smoothing down the orange silk of her gown. She had just come off the first chaperon shift at this year's Hogwarts Halloween ball, and she didn't want to be late for her appointment with Padma. She was unbelievably grateful that Padma had offered to meet with Lily tonight to help harvest the incredibly rare Moonbeam Rose, and showing up late was hardly the way to demonstrate her gratitude. The rose only bloomed once a year, and it just so happened that tonight was the night. Hogwarts was lucky enough to have a small patch of wild roses deep within the Forbidden Forest—no attempts to hand-cultivate the finicky flower had ever been successful. Besides being purportedly breath-taking, the Moonbeam Rose was also a key ingredient in potions used to temporarily augment intelligence and problem-solving ability. The potion was highly addictive and strictly regulated, but in small doses it could be quite inspirational—it was rumoured to be a favourite of the Unspeakable Department. The blooming was rare enough that the Ministry had a standing order for the potion whenever the stores were replenished. As Hogwarts' newest Potions professor, Lily was keen to prove her worth. The flower required a very delicate hand during harvesting, and a keen mastery of several crucial spells. Lily's skill was in brewing, not flower picking, so she was lucky that their resident Herbology professor was willing to lend a hand.

Padma was waiting for her at the edge of the forest, the bright light of the full moon illuminating her russet velvet gown. It clung to her curves like a second skin and made Lily's mouth water. She swallowed and shook off the instinctive attraction. 

Lily had had a crush on Padma since her Hogwarts school girl days when Padma had been _Professor Patil_. Herbology had been one of Lily's favourite subjects, and as interesting as it was, Lily couldn't deny that the main attraction had been its lovely professor. Luckily her potions brewing meant that she got to work closely with Padma, as Herbology provided a large majority of potions ingredients. It had been exhilarating working with Padma these past few months, and she was sure she wasn't the only one who thought so. Lily might be much younger than Padma, but now that she was a fellow Hogwarts professor, she felt more on equal footing and less nervous and silly. They were colleagues now, and as Lily reached the edge of the forest and smiled at Padma, Lily was almost certain there was more than respect glittering in Padma's fathomless eyes.

"Thank you so much for helping me harvest the Moonbeam rose. I've never seen a blooming before, and I've heard they're quite magical."

Padma smiled, and it seemed to Lily as if she was holding some kind of secret. "Oh, yes, the bloom is quite lovely. It's...very moving. I'm sure you'll understand once you see it."

Padma led the way through the forest, and Lily followed, eying her flawless brown skin through the deep v of her dress back and the swish of her hips in russet velvet. Something deep within her ached with suppressed desire. It had been months since Lily had last pulled—an adventurous couple in one of London's Muggle's clubs looking for a good time. It had been a lovely bit of stress relief before her first day at Hogwarts, but as satisfying as her work was, she missed the heat of another body against her own. It certainly didn't help matters that ever since her return to Hogwarts, her thoughts had been consumed by _PadmaPadmaPadma_ , and it didn't look like that particular obsession would be ending any time soon. Not when Padma was taking time out of her Halloween night to dig around in the dirt in the Forbidden Forest with Lily. She looked a vision in her elaborate fall-coloured gown that rustled over the leaves and twigs as they made their way deeper and deeper into the black of the forest. 

"Are you sure this is safe?" Lily asked. The canopy obscured the bright moonlight, and the shadows of the forest loomed deep and dark.

"You're perfectly safe, Lily. I've been here many a time. Just a little farther now."

Padma's words put Lily at ease and she relaxed, letting the cool breeze and lovely view calm her. And then they entered a brightly lit clearing and her breath caught in her throat. The Moonbeam Rose was already in full bloom, and Lily's eyes were immediately drawn to the large cluster of bushes lining the circular space. The roses were purest pearlescent white and glowing in the blue-darkness of the night. They swayed in the faint breeze, casting their ethereal glow across the clearing. Lily had never seen anything more beautiful. She looked at Padma, the curve of her throat and the lines of her cheekbones illuminated by the ghostly light, and re-evaluated her opinion.

"It's stunning."

Padma smiled, her bright teeth glinting in the light, and her eyes seeming to burn through the darkness. She continued to stare at Lily as she murmured, "Yes, yes she is."

Lily felt her cheeks heat as Padma moved towards the thorny bushes. With deft, practiced movements, Padma collected the full blossoms with several strange and delicate looking instruments. Careful not to touch the petals with skin or magic, Padma captured the blooms inside several glass jars. Once they were sealed tight, a complex charm was placed on the outside of the jar to help preserve them. Padma collected half of the blooms, but left the rest untouched. Lily didn't protest—what Padma collected was more than enough to fill the Ministry's order. 

The entire process took less than five minutes, and once all the blooms had been secured, they were wrapped in several layers of thick, woolen blankets and stored in Padma's bag. Any exposure to sun or light would wilt the blooms and turn them to dust. As soon as they got back to the castle, Lily would take them deep into dungeons, and prepare the blooms in a pitch black room. Luckily they gave off their own light. Until then, the blankets would protect them from torchlight..

Padma rose, her gown cascading down her legs like a river of copper coloured water. Lily felt want come to life inside of her, throbbing and prowling like a living thing, urging her forward. She blinked and suddenly she had Padma pressed against an old oak tree at the edge of the clearing, crushed velvet rasping against her skin.

"Lily…" Padma whispered. Lily knew she meant it to sound like a reprimand, but it sounded more like a plea to Lily's ears.

With a tentative slowness, Lily lowered her mouth to Padma's, giving her time to move away if she wanted. She didn't. When their mouths met, Padma's lips answered, moving against Lily's with a desperation that mirrored Lily's own eager want. Orange silk and tawny velvet swirled together as they moved, Lily's slim frame pressing Padma's sturdy body more firmly against the rough bark. Lily felt the bite of the wood into her hands, but she ignored it, more focussed on the yielding softness of Padma's chest against her own. 

The sharp snap of a broken twig jolted them apart. Lily looked around trying to place the sound, and by the time she came to the conclusion that it was nothing to worry about, Padma had already scooted away from the tree. She picked up the bag of roses and smoothed down her rumpled dress.

"We should be heading back."

She wouldn't look at Lily, and Lily felt a heavy weight settle on her chest. 

"What, already? Why? There's no rush."

"I'm twice your age, Lily. I was your professor."

"So what? You're not anymore. I'm an adult now. There's nothing wrong with two consenting adults enjoying themselves."

Padma looked flustered. "It's not appropriate. We should be heading back to the ball."

With one last indecipherable look at Lily, she began to head back down the path towards the castle. Lily stared after her for a long moment, before gathering up the silk folds of her gown and hurrying after her, unwilling to be left behind in the dark forest. 

She watched Padma move and lust moved in Lily's chest, pooling in her stomach. She wanted to be back in that clearing, illuminated by the few remaining roses, rolling around on the forest floor as she discovered what exactly lay beneath Padma's russet gown. Lily understood Padma's reservations, but Lily hadn't been a Gryffindor for nothing, and she wasn't about to let Padma's fear keep them from discovering something amazing.

No. She may only have only received a kiss tonight, but Lily was determined. She'd have the rest of Padma before the year was out.

**Author's Note:**

> [Kudos ♥] and [Comments] are fabulous! I'd love to hear what you think!
> 
> Come find me on [tumblr](http://gracerene09.tumblr.com/)!


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